Weekend re-cap: Westcave, Narrow Path, Graveyard, 12 Fox, Last Stand, Highlands

Late Wednesday posting on a Thursday because I had a full day yesterday and no time to work at my computer...plus, its getting *cramped* in my office/craft room and Hubby isn't heading back to work anytime soon.  So maybe we will have to snag one of the other spare rooms at Camp Rustown and figure something out!

 We started last Saturday visiting the new Westcave Cellars location in Hye to pick-up our wine club wines.  Apparently, a lot of other folks had been looking forward to that and the place was filling up! We grabbed a swing, opened up our picnic tote, and enjoyed some High Plains Cab Sav.  

{I would love to show more pics, but the owners aren't quite done getting everything ready and I want to write about the new place for Texas Wine Lover}

The breezes were blowing and it was very relaxing.  We met a couple from Austin who were very friendly and chatted with us for a while at least 6 feet away!

Since we had driven out so far to the hill country, might as well make our way to another couple of places we wanted to visit.  Next on the list was Narrow Path in Stonewall.  A family owned, boutique winery with a cozy vibe.  They have a large covered patio that looks out over their vines and lots of cushioned patio chair seating.

 They aren't doing tastings, so we settled on a bottle of Dreamchaser - a Tempranillo/Merlot blend - and staked our claim to some chairs under the shade.

 It was so great to sit looking out over the wide open spaces!  Of course, Hubby never having met a stranger, we chatted with a couple from Cedar Park who was seated nearby.  Weekends always remind me that its still a small world and you can meet new people, even in a pandemic.  On the way home, we stopped at Graveyard Vineyards and it was great that the owner remembered us.  We chatted for a bit and enjoyed a glass, but it was time to get home soon - Bubbie was coming home for a visit.  We picked up fried chicken for dinner at home and all of us called it an early night.

 The next day we took Bubbie for beer!  First stop: 12 Fox.  They had a Salt Lick BBQ trailer, live music and LOTS of people, including kids.  Less my speed than a quiet winery.  But people are probably pretty eager to get their kids out of the house for a while!

 Everyone seemed happy to be out in the sun and virtually no one was wearing a mask.  Picnic tables were all spaced 6 feet apart with families eating BBQ and chatting across the spaces.  I can't tell you how happy that made me feel.  Since no one who is sick should be at a brewery or winery {if you're sick STAY HOME} let the rest of us breathe fresh air!  AMEN.

 We filled the growler up a couple of times, but it was all "low octane" as I like to call it.  BBQ nachos and a pulled pork sammie went nicely with Chocolate Dunkel beer.  YUM.

Next, we headed over to Last Stand Brewing.  We were actually looking for a cider place nearby, but it was closed.  Last Stand had very nice folks who know a lot about how to get you something you will like.  I ordered a coffee porter, but the keg floated after about 4 ounces, so I got that for free to try.  It was delightful, but gone, so I had a Fuzzielucious, and it was refreshing out in their "beer garden" with very little breeze and climbing temps.  After one beer we headed home - Firstborn and Leighann came for dinner and it was so great to see them!  We enjoyed a delicious ham dinner and played a couple of games afterwards.  Family time is not to be under-rated.

On Monday we slept in, ate breakfast with Bubbie before he headed back to San Marcos, then went to Highlands to spend the day.  I rooted around in the dry storage locker and found the fixin's for a bean skillet lunch.

In no time I had it gently bubbly away.  Never underestimate a cast iron skillet of beans with Spam - I know its not gourmet, but I was after simple and filling.  We enjoyed it by the firepit with a new friend.

 I know you can barely see the small "blob" in the center of the photo next to the plank of wood that is braced against the firepit lid, but it is a tarantula.  It was just trucking along, headed right towards us when I saw it out of the corner of my eye and told Hubby to get up and walk away from the chair he was in!

Hubby grabbed our snake-killing shovel and shooed it off back towards the thicket behind us, where it hung in a small sprig of oak, probably traumatized at being shoveled.  It wasn't harmed and it eventually left for denser cover.  We spent the rest of the afternoon, mostly sitting in our chairs, playing cards, talking a walk around the property.

On the way back up to the barn we spotted a Great Horned Owl perched on a telephone wire, just beginning the evening hunt.  Guess that's our signal to head home.  At home we ate pulled pork nachos {which were gloopy and wonderful} and watched a bit of TV before bed.  It wasn't an exciting Memorial Day, but we did enjoy our freedoms and see our peeps, so all is well.  

No adult bevvies this weekend - I'm on call...

Gina